


Taken

by mintgreyashes



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Family, Hurt, Injury Recovery, Kidnapping, Recovery, Suicidal Thoughts, Torture, Verbal Abuse, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-03-17 08:52:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18961948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintgreyashes/pseuds/mintgreyashes
Summary: It had just been a simple walk. Nothing out of the ordinary.But Sawada Tsunayoshi is taken right under their noses, and even Reborn isn't sure just how long Tsuna will last.Kidnapped by the infamous Lucchiere, a family known for their ability to reduce even the most powerful men to lifeless dolls, the Vongola will do anything to get Tsuna back.After all, they were never known for giving up.---+ I do not own KHR,, it belongs to Akira Amano+ Warnings: graphic themes; suicidal thoughts, violence, torture, verbal abuse





	1. Chapter 1

 

  
Tsuna sighed, his belly emitting a low sound, a clearly recognised cry for food. He was _starving._

Chancing a glance at the clock-- 8:30 pm, he frowned. There was still no sign of Nana just yet.

"When is Kaa-san coming home? I'm starving..." He grumbled softly, before shrieking when a bullet whizzed past his ear.

It had missed him by just an inch.

"Hie!" Tsuna's voice was shrill and whirling around, his eyes were wide as he yelled at the culprit, "Reborn! What was that for?"

Reborn smirked. "Dame-Tsuna, Mama asked me to tell you to go buy food for the two of us. She's bringing the children out for dinner."

Tsuna sighed.

Of course, leave it to Reborn to ignore him and carry right on.

"But why me-? Okay, okay, Reborn! Don't shoot!" Squeaking, the brunet dared not complete his sentence.

Not when onyx eyes were gleaming at him ominously, and with Reborn pointing a gun straight to his face.

"So," Tsuna could have sworn he saw something _predatory_ in the infant's cutesy smirk. "You were saying?"

Tsuna _squirmed_ slightly.

Maintaining eye contact at each other for a few more seconds, the brunette eventually relented and sighed up a storm as he put on his favourite white-orange jacket and left the house.

\---

"Stupid Reborn, making me his lackey of sorts..." Tsuna muttered, shivering slightly as he walked down the dark streets of Namimori.

There was hardly a single person in sight, and frankly, it was making Tsuna feel more and more unnerved.

Each step he took was taken with caution, and every tiny sound caused him to flinch back in slight fear.

He was on edge, and Tsuna was starting to suspect paranoia.

Shivering once more, he felt a jolt travel up his spine as he eyed the dark alleys and shadows that seem to creep at him.

The night was _scary._

He had almost never left the house at night before, _alone_ at that. Though obviously, trying to break the Rainbow Curse back then had been an exception.

Somehow, the memory warmed Tsuna slightly.

_That's right..._

_I was so fearful of the dark streets that night too._

How nostalgic.

He smiled.

Suddenly, the night didn't seem to be so scary anymore.

 _Someone's there_ _._

Ah. Tsuna had spoken to soon, perhaps.

Something rattled, and a loud thump was heard before Tsuna squeaked, jumping a few feet into the air, before composing himself.

He sputtered out a weak, "Who's there?"

There was no reply.

Gulping, he swallowed down his unease.

There was nothing there, but his intuition was screaming at him to _run._ Tsuna exhaled shakily. Perhaps it had just been his nerves and anxiety acting up?

There was another loud rattle, and Tsuna yelped, just as something shadowy stepped out from the shadows.

But Tsuna was already prepared for it, putting on his mittens and about to swallow a pill when-

_"Mrreow..."_

The sound stopped him.

Tsuna paused in his motion.

And just.

...Stared.

The 'shadowy figure' stared right back at him, amber eyes gleaming in the dark as the culprit licked its matted coat, clearly unimpressed with a visitor in its territory.

Forcing himself to relax, Tsuna blocked out his intuitions' warnings to _run-_

"Hey there, lil' bud..." He whispered, sighing as he reached out a hand to pet the matted little animal. "You scared me, you know?"

But the cat only hissed softly, weary eyes wide and full of distrust as it stared at Tsuna, posture tense and ready to bolt if needed.

It was obvious that the tiny animal was unfamiliar with human contact, having been neglected for most, or if not all, of its life.

Tsuna felt his heart go out to the tiny one before him, and before he could even register what he was doing, his single hand was already reaching out slowly, content with allowing the animal to sniff and observe.

And eventually, the cat relented, nuzzling into Tsuna's hand slightly.

Tsuna took it as a 'go-ahead.'

Petting it gently, the boy felt his thoughts wonder.

"You need a name, I guess..." A purr interrupted him, and Tsuna chuckled at the affection the tiny tabby was showing.

"How bout Princess?"

A low hiss.

"Right, right." Tsuna chuckled, retracting his hands slightly as he agreed placatingly.

"Sandy?"

"Miller?"

"Lumos?"

The cat gave a snarl.

"-Right, right... Aren't you sassy? _Ow! Okay, alright?_ Well, how about... Nox?"

Amber eyes blinked, and the cat —Nox— began to purr, apparently satisfied with its new name.

And Tsuna smiled, albeit it being a more forced one this time.

_Reborn is going to kill me._

_Nox has gotten me wrapped around his tiny little paw-_

_..._

_Well._

_To Nox's credit, he does seem... smarter than the average cat._

There was suddenly a loud clatter.

"Well aren't you just _adorable?"_

Tsuna froze, just as Nox stiffened, letting out a sharp yowl that interrupted the peaceful night silence around them.

And in that split second, Tsuna was already jumping back, narrowly avoiding a punch that could have broken bones, had he not dodged.

But unfortunately, his mittens and pills hadn't been as fortunate as he himself had been.

Having caught off-guard, his pill box had been thrown a few feet away; a rookie mistake from being too startled by the sudden apperance of an attacker.

His mittens, on the other hand, had slipped from his grasp as Tsuna ducked and jumped to avoid each heavy blow thrown in his direction, all with a pin-point accuracy.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Tsuna scowled, eyes flashing a slight amber, even without the aid of his pills.

His voice was eerily calm and he kept his gaze firm and unwavering, staring down at the very person that could had killed just moments ago.

All fear was thrown aside-- all for the tiny cat behind him, trembling slightly and weak from fatigue and neglect.

That was enough for Tsuna to strengthen his resolve.

It was one thing to fear for his own life, but another when it came to protecting another's.

And Tsuna would protect Nox with all of his Dying Will just for trusting him.

"Well?" He questioned once more, cool indifference colouring his tone.

His attacker was a lady-- a beautiful one, at that-- with piercing grey eyes and raven black hair.

And yet, with her lips tilted upwards and a crazed smirk directed at Tsuna, the boy could only shudder at just how _creepy_ _s_ he was.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi," She purred eyeing Tsuna as though he were a priceless gem, "Vongola _Decimo,_ who wouldn't want you?"

Tsuna tensed, and his eyes flashed amber once more as he watched the woman warily, never once letting her out of his sight.

"So? What's your goal then? Why do you want me?"

"My, my! I see you are a curious one," her tone was mocking.

Tsuna dodged a wayward punch from her, and scowled as his eyes glowed orange and he jumped a few feet back.

The raven-head smirked.

"The _Lucchiere_ Famiglia want you, Vongola Decimo."

Lunging towards the boy, she brandished a knife and allowed rain flames to coat them as she slashed away with a gleeful cackle.

Tsuna muttered out a curse and bit back a shriek that had been about to tear its way out of his throat as he dodged, albeit clumsily, and glanced at his pills and mittens that were lying just a short distance away.

_I can't keep up with this if I can't enter Hyper Dying Will mode with my gloves-!_

"Ack-!" A powerful kick broke Tsuna from his thoughts, and he coughed, pain blossoming from his side as he felt his ribs crack from the blow.

Bruises were beginning to form, and Tsuna panted heavily, feeling sweat drip from the back of his neck.

His intuition was screaming at him to flee, and even Tsuna knew that the lady standing in front of him, looking only slightly dishevelled, was one someone with immense skill.

"Gotta admit, Decimo, you lasted longer than I thought you would." Taunting Tsuna once more, her blade gleamed under the streetlights.

She then smirked, glancing at the panting boy and the trembling cat behind him.

_How amusing~_

"But no matter, I'll get you in the end either way!"

She ran forward again, at a speed unlike before. And this time, Tsuna was unable to dodge the knife completely.

It plunged into his abdomen, and the brunet let out a silent gasp, feeling pain colouring his world black for a few minutes.

Red painted the pavement as the lady cackled gleefully and pulled her hand back, retracting the knife and making the boy cough wetly as he pressed on his wound.

Tsuna stumbled slightly, feeling his vision blur. He was completely outmatched, and his wound would be fatal if he didn't get it treated quickly.

Hearing Nox meow pitifully behind him, the brunet couldn't help but despair.

_Reborn! What do I do? I can't protect anyone without my pills and gloves!_

"My! Done already?" The lady chuckled, stepping forward with a confident stride. "Well then, now let's go, De-ci-mo!"

Tsuna felt the corners of his vision dim.

And Reborn's words echoed in his head.

_"What is your resolve?"_

"Not yet..."

Tired caramel orbs glowed a bright orange.

The lady stopped in her steps, blinking before an ominous gleam shone in her eyes. "Oh? So the Decimo still isn't done playing yet, eh? How... **irritating.** _"_

_Resolve..._

_My resolve..._

_I want to protect Nox_ _._

"I will fight with my Dying Will!"

A flame burst to life, and Tsuna's eyes narrowed, taking on its amber glow. He stood straighter, taller and held more control than he ever had.

The raven, however, merely smirked and held a single hand up. "My, what an interesting turn of events. If we fought now, I would surely lose. But..."

She held up three fingers.

Three.

"I'm glad I took precautionary measures."

His eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Two.

"Your knife wound, boy! Don't you realise what they're coated with?"

One.

"You-!"

Tsuna began to stumble, and his darkness began to clutch on him.

He fell out of Hyper Dying Will mode instantly, and was barely able to stand.

_"Good night, De-ci-mo~"_

The raven's fingers snapped, and blue filled Tsuna's vision.

His vision went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope the dialogue and Reborn weren't too OOC in this... I tried really hard to make it sound natural, though I'm not sure if it worked or not...

  
Reborn twitched, eyeing the clock when its digital numbers flashed a bright '10:34 pm'.

It had been hours since Tsuna had left, and the brunet still hadn't come back yet. It left a bitter feeling in the hitman's mouth, and Reborn felt something akin to uneasiness flutter in his gut.

Something was _wrong._ Tsuna should had been back already, sighing and grumbling like an idiot, but still ultimately carrying packages of food, because he had a _bleeding heart of gold and couldn't say no to any d̶e̶m̶a̶n̶d̶  request._

Another minute went by, and only the deafening silence of the house could be heard.

Nana had come home an hour ago, smiling as she carried two slumbering children, followed by a very sleepy Fuuta trailing behind her while she asked, "Ara? Where's Tsu-kun?"

Reborn remembered his reassuring words—

_"Don't worry, Mama. Tsuna's just out buying food. He should be home soon."_

—Followed by him bidding the gentle lady goodnight; with the promise that he would stay up waiting for the boy.

Nana had protested at first, but eventually relented when she realised that Reborn had also yet to eat. The food was with Tsuna, after all. Reborn staying up would be like killing two birds with one stone.

But that had been an hour ago.

Reborn frowned, emotionless onyx eyes staring at the doorway as minutes continued to tick by with still no Tsuna in sight.

Something was amiss. His own intuition, honed after many years of being a hitman was sending alarm bells pounding in his head.

And Reborn trusted it.

_Something was wrong._

Taking one last look at the clock, the hitman scowled and hopped off his seat from the dining table.

He had an idiot to find.

\---

The night was cold, and the stars twinkled brightly overhead Reborn and Leon. There was not a single person in sight.

Reborn's intuition continued to prod at him, and onyx eyes sharpened when he caught a slight whiff of something metallic in the air.

He frowned, allowing Leon to turn into a gun as he turned, silently making his way towards the mysterious smell.

Something clattered in the distance.

Reborn tensed, but didn't stop walking.

And then something red caught his eye.

_Is...that-_

He ran towards to tiny puddle of red liquid, which Reborn _knew_ was blood, and felt his heart thud in anticipation.

_Could it be..?_

And then there was a hiss and Reborn whirled around to find himself face to face with a blue tabby cat with amber eyes.

He frowned. _Just a cat, huh?_

The disappointment he felt was immeasurable. _Here I was itching for a good fight too..._

He turned his attention back to the puddle of blood and began to observe his surroundings.

It seemed as though a tiny fight had just occured. Apart from the puddle of blood, there were tiny scratches littering the area around the ground, as well as some scorch marks on the walls.

Reborn frowned.

"Dame-Tsuna... Just what kind of trouble are you in now?" Muttering softly, he turned to face his partner. "Well, Leon? Anything?"

Leon's tongue flicked. The cat, on the other hand, was gone.

It reappeared after a few moments though, giving a low hiss as it strutted to the hitman with a bundle of _something_ secured tightly in its mouth.

That _something_ turned out to be Tsuna's mittens, torn and dirty. Reborn could see some blood staining some of the white fabric.

Instantly, the gears clicked away at Reborn's mind.

The blood, the scorch marks, the torn mittens-- It all led to one obvious conclusion.

_"Shit."_

\---

"Yo, Gokudera! Sorry I'm late, haha! I overslept! Is Tsuna still not here yet?" Yamamoto greeted the scowling silveret brightly, hazel eyes gleaming as he scratched his cheek absently.

"Don't address Jyuudaime so carelessly, Baseball-Freak! And Reborn-san told us to meet at Jyuudaime's house. He said it was urgent."

"Ah~? So you were waiting for me then?"

"Wha-?" He sputtered. "As if, Baseball Freak! Someone has to tell you where to go!"

"Haha! Whatever you say, Gokudera!"

"Why you-!"

Chuckling, the raven-head swung an arm around the bomber casually and they began to walk to Tsuna's house, bickering loudly, of course.

There was a light-hearted atmosphere around the two, and Yamamoto could tell that the tension that Gokudera carried earlier was slowly residing.

\---

"Ah, you two are finally here. Good." Reborn greeted the two in a clipped tone, onyx eyes emotionless and cold.

The hitman carried himself with an aura of agitation, making Yamamoto's eyes narrow.

All the guardians were gathered too, it seemed.

_No._

_Not everyone._

_Tsuna isn't here._

Yamamoto straightened, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Gokudera straighten as well, trying to piece everything together.

"Hn, Baby, stop wasting my time. Get on with it."

"Kufufufu, Arcobaleno, I agree with Skylark-kun. I might just lose my patience and make some _sakura_ appear."

Hibari twitched. "Do you want to die, Pineapple?"

"Oya? Is the little birdy getting mad?"

_"I will bite you to dea-!"_

_"Enough."_ A stray shot stopped the two bloodthirsty guardians in their tracks, and the remaining people gaped at the murderous aura around the hitman.

Reborn's eyes were narrowed. "Stop fighting, we don't have time for that. Dame-Tsuna's been kidnapped."

_...What..?_

The room was so silent, Yamamoto was sure that he could hear even a single pin drop.

Beside him, Gokudera looked like he was about to get aneursym.

"J-Jyyudaime, _what?!"_ He sputtered, green eyes wide. "I'm a failure as a right-hand man! Jyuudaime, wait for me! I'll come save you-!"

Another stray shot was fired, prompty freezing the bomber in his tracks.

"R-Reborn-san?"

"Stop fooling around! We don't have _time_ for your _childish_ actions!" Reborn snapped, throwing a manila folder at the coffee table around them.

Even Hibari, sensing the distress in the hitman's tone, silently crowded around the tiny coffee table and flipped open the folder.

It was horrifying.

"The Lucchire Famiglia." Reborn began, fingers twitching as he eyed the contents in the folder. "One of Italia's most noctorious Famiglia. They're known for their torture methods. Almost all prisoners they captured never recover. They become practical living dolls."

"What does this extremely have to do with Sawada, though?" Ryohei questioned, making Gokudera want to throw the folder in the boxer's face.

Reborn shot him a warning look, before continuing.

"Security cameras from around the neighbourhood show Tsuna being captured by one of Lucchiere's most infamous member-- Lorena De Nova."

Gokudera tensed. "Isn't that...?"

"Yeah, it is." Reborn confirmed, making Gokudera turn pale. "Lorena is one of the mafia's most dangerous members. She's on Vongola's 'hit list' as well, and has been known for being able to take down some of Vongola's strongest fighters."

Yamamoto was pale. "Then do you think Tsuna's alright?"

Reborn levelled the raven with a hard stare. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "We have to hurry and find him though. Who knows what the Lucchiere plan to do with him."

Every guardian nodded, though some more discreet than the others.

"Hn, you've wasted my time, baby." Hibari sneered, jacket flapping as he left the house, making several others gape.

"That bastard!" Gokudera scowled, but made no move to follow the prefect. Instead, he turned to Reborn. "I'll go around town looking for some of my accquaintances with... _shadier_ connections, Reborn-san."

The hitman nodded.

"Kufufu~ Well, I suppose I have no choice." Mukuro smirked. "I still owe my dear Tsunayoshi a favour for getting me out of Vindicare, and my darling Chrome would be very upset if I didn't help in this search."

And with that said, the illusionist disappeared, leaving behind a stunned Chrome. "W-We'll help in any way we can." She promised.

Reborn nodded once again. "You two—" He turned to Yamamoto and Ryohei, "—can go search around town for any clues at all."

"Right." Yamamoto's eyes were narrowed.

And Reborn could only stare at the Vongola Gear, eyes unnaturally concerned.

_Stay safe, Tsuna._

> _Your family is coming for you._


	3. Chapter 3

  
Tsuna awoke, a tired and long suffering groan escaping from cracked lips as he felt his head throb and his cheek scratch against the rough concrete of the floor.

_Wait.._

_Concrete?_

He startled at that, yelping as he jumped awake and felt pain blossom at his side. Ah, his injury.

He hissed at that, struggling to sit upright, before noticing, rather belatedly, that he had been chained to the wall.

_Damn it._

_I got careless, didn't I?_

Mentally scolding himself, he tried his hardest to ignore the slithers of fear that had managed to creep in, instead focusing on his surroundings.

"Where am I?" He asked aloud, and of course, he was not given a reply.

Exhaustion was a very prominent factor in his bones, and he groaned tiredly, still feeling the rain flames that had knocked him out circulating around his system.

_Idiot_ _!_

He chatised, frowning as he tugged at the cuffs chaining his hands together. They refused to budge.

_Not good..._

_I shouldn't have let my guard down._ _That'd have saved me from this mess in the first place._

_...Why do I always have to be such a loser?_

He could still feel the drain of his already weakened flames, specifically in the chains that binded him.

Anti-dying will material, Tsuna supposed, a material that already proved to be _very_ irritating countless times in the past, as they restricted the brunette's flames.

But try as he might, the restrains refused to give way, and Tsuna was left powerless and weak— an after-effect of being drugged by way too many doses of rain flames.

Eventually, he gave up, and silently began to scan the tiny cell he was residing in.

A single ray of sunlight streamed in from the single window in the corner, dirty and rickety, colouring the room a molten golden.

It was almost cosy—had it not been for the solid concrete walls and floor, and the foul odour that permeated the air: a smell of urine, defecate, blood and _death._

Vaguely Tsuna wondered, almost bitterly, how many had been in the exact same position he was lying in.

 _And how many have actually made it out alive_?

He shuddered at that thought, choosing to not continue down that dark line of thought, instead turning his focus to the bolted door at the entrance of the room.

There was a sudden cold shiver running down his spine, and every hair on his body stood on its end.

_Someone's coming._

His intuition, although muddled by the tranquility of the rain flames, was still able to detect an approaching figure.

Tsuna steeled himself then, Reborn's voice echoing in his head. _'_ _A mafia boss never shows what he's thinking_ _.'_ And at a time lime this, Tsuna was glad he had been put up with all those horrendous training sessions with Reborn.

After all, nothing like Reborn's phantom voice and the promise of more spartan training to scare away any prominent fear that was present on his face.

There was a clank, and Tsuna's eyes focused on the bolted door in front of him. Another creak, and some shuffling on the other side, before the door was forcefully slammed open.

He stiffened.

"My, the esteemed Vongola Decimo is rather young, uh?"

_Danger._

His intuition reminded.

But Tsuna only scowled, putting up a show as his eyes scanned the culprit of the rather rude entrance. A big, burly man with red hair, it seemed, and a rather ugly smirk.

Clicking his tongue in false annoyance, he swallowed back his unease. "What do you want with me?" He asked in the calmest voice he could currently manage.

"Well, no matter!" The man guffawed, ignoring Tsuna completely.

Tsuna hissed at that, almost like a cat.

_Listen to me, damn it—_

"You're going to call me Ark, Decimo."

_Oh joy, the man has a name._

'Ark' smirked. "And by the time I'm done with you, you're going to wish you've never been born."

Forget about his hair standing on end, it was clearly on fire now. His intuition was screaming, and even without it, he could tell.

_That's not just empty words._

_That's a promise._

Tsuna swallowed, trying to keep his panic at bay.

He could shriek and cry later, when it was safe. Without his intuition screaming at him.

"Try all you want, _Ark."_ He pushed on, spitting the name out vehemously, "But you will _not_ break me."

Ark's eyes seemed to gleam at that. "Oh?" It was almost mocking, the heavy fist that landed across Tsuna's face caught him off-guard completely.

The chains linking the brunette's hands rattled at the force of the hit, almost ominously, and the boy himself bit back a scream.

"My! Seems like I'm gonna have some fun with you, boy."

_Danger! Run!_

But if the rattles of Tsuna's binds seemed _almost_ ominous, then the glint of silver in Ark's hands was a death sentence in itself.

\---

Dusk had approached hours ago, and even crickets had began to chirrupt when Ark finally decided to stop.

"Well, as expected of the Vongola, I suppose." The grin on the red-head's face seemed inappropriate; as though the man hadn't just tortured a fifteen year old child just moments before. "Looks like you ain't just a brat then. You sure could take a punch or two!"

Tsuna glared at that, but didn't grace the man a response. The copper tang of blood filled his mouth, and he was not surprised. He had bitten down in efforts of not giving Ark the satisfaction of hearing him scream, which had worked, to certain extents.

But if Ark was offended by the brunette's silence, he definitely didn't express it.

In fact, he merely chuckled louder, eyes gleaming with what Tsuna _knew_ to be insanity.

"But then again, I can always just try again tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or even the day after after tomorrow! I mean, I _do_ currently have all the patience and time left in the world to get you to be my obedient _toy.._ "

Tsuna refused to respond.

And Ark, finally sensing that the boy was not listening, spat at Tsuna a final time — _"I'll see you tomorrow, De-Ci-Mo!"_ — before allowing the iron door to slam shut behind him.

And Tsuna, who had refused to cry or even _scream_ in the presence of Ark, finally let down his mask of indifference.

Curling into a fetal position, he shuddered at the cold nipping at this bones as he rubbed at his wrists, red and sore because of the binds cuffing his hands together.

He was sure he looked terrible. How could he not, when the bruises on his arms were already began to colour a deep purple, and blood was also starting to seep through his once-white hoodie?

The first of Tsuna's tears began to fall, landing on concrete floors, silent in the midst of the chirping crickets outside his window.

God, he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to last, with things seemingly steadily progressing in a downward spiral.

But for today, sleep was already beginning to settle in, and Tsuna allowed his thoughts to drift.

_Guys... Please..._

_I'm scared..._

_I'm so, so, so scared..._

_Please_ _hurry._

And his world faded to black.

\---

"No clues around the park either." Yamamoto frowned, usual smile nowhere to be found. Beside him, several others cursed lowly, struggling to keep their composure.

The situation was far too grim for jokes and laughter, and even someone as dense as Yamamoto had been able to pick up on the somber atmosphere.

"What about Ryohei?" Reborn questioned, eyes never leaving the manila folder still clutched tightly in his hands.

"No leads too."

At that, the hitman forced himself to not click his tongue in irritance. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Gokudera clench his fist in anger.

Reborn didn't blame him. After all, precious time was being wasted, and Tsuna's exact condition was still unknown.

"Here's our next move then." he stated as calmly as one could currently do in the current situation. "Ryohei will go check around Kokuyo Land again, and Yamamoto will take—"

Reborn paused mid-word, just as all the other guardians in the room flinched, their following actions varying.

Gokudera clutched his heart, a stunned expression on his ashen face.

Yamamoto's eyes sharpened, and he instinctively reached for the sword strapped on his back.

Ryohei seized in his fidgeting, going completely still and uncharacteristically serious.

Chrome squeaked, grasping onto her trident and scanning the room almost nervously.

"Did everyone... feel that?"

Yamamoto swallowed. "Yeah." A pause, before he asked, almost hesitantly. "What... was that?"

No one answered, but they all knew the answer, and they knew it well. Reborn had already tutored them about it, drilling just about _everything_ he knew about it into their minds.

Harmonisation.

In some cases where the bond was exceptionally strong, all the elements would be able to feel any strong emotions of their sky over the flame connection.

Of _Tsuna._

"That was Jyuudaime, wasn't it?" Gokudera sounded pained.

"Bossu is... he is.. scared..."

Reborn twitched at that. "Well then, all the more reasons to stop slacking and get back to work!" He barked, harsh and unforgiving, though his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.

And as the guardians scrambled off, returning to their respective jobs, Reborn could only clutch at his faux pacifier silently.

_Dame-_ _Tsuna, wait for us, damn it_ _._

_Don't give up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chapter took so long to come out, haha. Editing's just an ass sometimes,, thanks to those who left a message about 'Taken', it really warms my heart to see so many readers enjoying this story :)


	4. Chapter 4

  
Two days.

Two whole excruciating days since Tsuna had last been seen. Since he had been kidnapped.

Reborn sipped at his coffee, a dark aura encircling him as he twitched, almost violently. Beside him was Gokudera, who muttered furiously as he chewed an end of his cigarette, hair looking frazzled and unkempt.

"Gokudera, rest. You've done enough for today." Reborn ordered.

The bomber frowned. "But Reborn-san!"

"Gokudera." A click, and the bomber abruptly clicked his mouth shut, getting that the hitman was in no mood for arguing at all.

"Alright," he sighed, casting a final longing glance to his papers, before standing and leaving the room, feet dragging on the ground. He bid the hitman farewell. "Goodnight, Reborn-san."

The infant didn't grace him with a response, instead choosing to turn to the piles of paper, messy notes scrawled everywhere. Gokudera took the cue to leave. 

From the corner of his eye, he could see the cat groom himself, and his irritation skyrocketed by a mile.

He had failed as a tutor, hadn't he? To allow Tsuna to get kidnapped by rats as despicable as  _them._

"Just whereon earth  _are_ you, Dame-Tsuna?"

There was no reply.

\---

Red stained the floors, colouring the ground a dark crimson as Tsuna coughed, body heaving with effort.

"Had your fill for today yet?"

Tsuna glared, a trail of red dribbling out from the corner of his lip as he spat at the man's feet defiantly.

His arms ached from being chained, and he knew his body was reaching its peak. Countless days of hunger and thirst, coupled with a boatload of beatings, had taken their toll on him.

Tsuna could barely form a single coherent thought anymore, and all remaining energy was spent defying Ark. The brunette refused to let his weakness show in front of his captor.

But Ark was unbothered by the puddle of red that was staining his shoes red. Rather, he seemed gleeful and eyed Tsuna as though he were a precious gem.

"How cute," The man smiled, and Tsuna had to suppress a shiver. The smile was not a happy one, but instead was that of a deranged and ugly smirk.

It made Tsuna's skin crawl.

"Well then, since you don't seem to be  _cooperating,_ let's try something...  _different_ today, and then we'll see just how strong your will is."

And dear lord, Tsuna's intuition  _screamed,_ the most active it'd been in two whole days. 

 _'RUN!'_ It screeched, the intensity of the panic turning his vision white for a few seconds.

And that few seconds had been enough. It seemed to happen in an instant. One moment he was there, and another, Tsuna felt stars exploding in his vision.

Ark's hand had suddenly shot out, grabbing Tsuna by a fistful of brown hair. The man smirked as pain contorted the boy's features, and  _tugged._ Really,  _really_ tug, with the intent of making him  _bleed._

And fear thrummed in Tsuna's veins, overpowering any other feeling and any other thought.

His scalp burned from Ark's grip, and Tsuna could feel the sticky feeling of blood rolling down his temple. "Do your worst." He refused to give up. Tsuna's words remained mocking, and amber eyes, though dull and slightly hazy, stared unwaveringly at Ark.

_They'll come for me._

_I'm sure of that._

His defiance didn't last long.

Ark growled, face red with irritation. "You're playing with fire, brat." He slammed the boy's head into the wall, visibly angered, making Tsuna see stars.

He could feel more blood continue to pour from the side of his head, and the dizziness that threatened to swallow him up whole intensified. 

"They'll come for me!" Tsuna spat with conviction, heaving slightly as he curled into a ball, willing the pain away. He couldn't,  _wouldn't_ let a man like Ark tell him otherwise.

But then, Ark didn't.

In fact, he said not a single word at all.

And instantly, he knew he'd said something wrong. Not when Ark didn't react immediately.

The silence lasted for a few more tense seconds, before Ark seemed to lose it. "They'll come? For  _you?"_  He cackled, and Tsuna ignored the jab behind his words.

But Ark refused to relent, instead, taking slow steps towards the boy, he wrapped large fingers around Tsuna's neck and  _squeezed._

"They aren't coming for you,  _brat._ It's already been  _a month._ Think about it, Vongola's the most powerful family in the mafia. If they wanted to, you'd have been found in  _a day."_

Ark smirked, his fingers closing around Tsuna's neck tighter and tighter, making the edge of his vision go black.

_"The Vongola have given up on you, Decimo. Who would want such a_ _**useless** _ _heir?"_

_Useless-_

Ah, that word sounded familiar.

_I'm... useless?_

It was the word that constantly crept upon him during his darkest days, the culmination of his insecurities.

Ark's fingers released their tight grip, and Tsuna crumpled to the ground, coughing as his eyes widened in shock.

The words echoed in his head, swallowing him up whole as he stopped to ponder about it.

_Dame-Tsuna._

_I'm Dame-Tsuna._

_Nobody wants to save a uselessstupidworthless child-_

_...Right?_

He thought he felt something within him give way.

\---

Eventually, time began to blur altogether, and Tsuna began to spiral.

Thought after thought ravaged his mind, as though Ark's careless words had caused a floodgate of unheard doubts, previously pushed aside, to open and overwhelm him.

_Useless child._

It was scary, really, that with just a single word, Ark had managed to tear open all his doubts and insecurities.

Like ripping a bandage off a wound that had never truly healed.

Tsuna curled in on himself, bringing his knees into a fetal position as he rubbed his wrists, still shackled, gently. The restraints continued to hurt, and it was fine.  _This_ was fine. So long as Tsuna was left  _alone_.

But the peace didn't last for long. It never did.

The iron door slammed open, and Tsuna closed his eyes, resigning himself to another day of cruel beatings and painful words-

And Ark smirked like he knew he'd won.

"Ready for another round,  _Dame-Tsuna?_ "

He flinched, and almost bitterly, he realized it.

Maybe Ark already had won, after all. 

Because when Ark lifted his hand or even took a single step forward; that was already enough to make Tsuna flinch,  a far cry from the defiance that painted his facade a mere day ago. Today, he only raised his head when he heard the crinkle of plastic.

Ark tossed it to the ground, contents spilling, just as he reached to grasp Tsuna's face by his grimy thumb and index fingers.

 _"Enjoy."_ His words were foreboding, echoing in his ears even after the door slammed shut again and Tsuna was left with his own demons.

He almost wanted to cry.

It was  _food—_

Dirty, old and stale, yes, but  _food_ nonetheless.

Tsuna hadn't had that in  _days._

He crawled, painstakingly slowly as his chains rattled and his wounds bled. His trembling hands grabbed hold of the stale bread and he took a bite.  _God_ , it tasted like  _heaven_.

And faintly, he registered the taste of a faint bitter tang. Once, a lifetime ago, he would have taken caution. But now, he was too far gone to stop.

He ate, bite after bite, and gulped down water from a tiny water bottle before his stomach groaned in content. For a moment, there was nothing, but the sweet bliss of having a full stomach after days of starvation.

 Before his stomach moaned and he  _burned—_

He should have known it would have been too good to be true.

His skin crawled, burning as though it were on  _fire_ , and his head pounded with an intensity he'd never felt before. He convulsed, coughing, and Tsuna saw red before grabbing hold of his protesting stomach.

_Why me?_

It all came back up; he heaved, whimpering as tears pricked his vision as he stared right at that pile of sick beside him.

It hurt.

Because Tsuna recognized this.

Drove the pain right down to his core, because it had reminded him of  _home._ Like Bianchi's poison cooking, but more lethal. More designed to hurt.

And Tsuna wasn't familiar with that-- because no matter how spiteful Bianchi had ever felt towards him or his guardians, she would have never wanted to hurt any of them like this.

Another wave of nausea flooded his system. He was struck by a sudden feeling of homesickness. 

He missed home.

He missed  _them._  

He just wasn't sure if  _they_ felt the same way.

Would they even still search? For  _Dame-Tsuna,_  of all people?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> longer chapter than usual :)

It was dark.

That was the first thing he noticed.

The next was the blinding pain that throbbed throughout his body, and the silouette in the corner of the room.

He stiffened instantly, struggling futilely to move away. But the restraints prevented him from shifting an inch, along with the aching pain that left him dizzy from the overexertion.

"Finally awake?"

Tsuna blinked languidly as Mark chuckled.

Mark didn't sound like the man's name. Wasn't it Bark? No, that didn't sound right either. Stark? Nope. Ark?

He blinked again, even more sluggishly this time.

_That sounds like it..._

Though he wouldn't know for sure.

The hazy fog that clouded his mind made it difficult to form even a single coherant thought.

But he was _aware;_ he saw how and _where_ Ark stood, the glow of the moonlight making his smirk even more sinister than usual.

And upon seeing Tsuna's eyes peek open, he stepped forward, knife in one hand and camera in another, making his way towards him.

He could vaguely make out the red blinking light of the camera. That was strange, wasn't it? Why would anyone want to film him looking like death itself?

But Ark simply continued walking forward, and Tsuna curled into a tighter ball. The knife continued to glint in the moonlight.

Fear began to make his heart race and _oh._ Tsuna swallowed audibly. He understood now.

"Please don't..."

Ark was going to _hurt_ him again.

"Begging, I see." The man smiled peacefully, his words nonchalent. "What happened? I believe your words before were _'I'll never give up'_?"

Shame curled in his gut, but even then, it wasn't enough for him to attempt to salvage the remainder of his pride. The desperation was just too much.

"Please... no more..." He pleaded once again, lips trembling as he laid stiff on the concrete grounds, not daring to make even the slightest of movements.

"Now then, Vongola! Let's give your famiglia a tiny _gift._ "

\---

Slamming the door open, Gokudera stalked into the room, frowning as he startled at the tense aura around the Sawada family's living room.

"Gokudera," Reborn acknowledged, "Sit down."

"Eh? But Reborn-san! Jyuudaime hasn't—"

 _"Sit."_ Reborn stressed the word, fingers closing in on the handle of his gun. This made Gokudera, along with several other occupants in the room, flinch.

The bomber promptly did as he was told, silenced by the hitman's deadly tone.

Then, his gaze settled on a single video recorder lying innocently on the coffee table, and realization struck him in that instant.

_Oh._

The fear was a bitter pill to swallow, but he managed, just barely, to push it down. All for that tiny, black video recorder.

Reborn clicked his tongue in annoyance, settling on the couch as he turned towards the closest guardian, which just so happened to be Yamamoto.

"Play the video." He scowled, as several shifted uncomfortable at his frosty tone. The room remained silent for a few moments.

But eventually, Yamamoto leaned over to switch the video camera on, grimacing uncomfortably when the light flickered green and only darkness filled the screen.

The room was dark. But even then, they could make out the sparsest of details; the most notable being the unmoving figure curled in the corner of the room, almost like a wounded animal.

_"Oh? This thing recording?"_

An unfamiliar voice, one that had all the guardians tensing, completely on edge.

_"Well! Hello to Vongola, I suppose."_

They could already make out the sinister undertone of those nonchalant words. It was almost like a warning, and it did nothing but raise alarm bells in their heads.

The horrid feeling only intensified when a man stepped in front of the camera, with crazed eyes and an ugly smirk.

He held a bloody knife in his hands and the guardians stiffened, knowing that once upon a time, that blade might had been _clean._

And the man continued playing with the stained blade, nonchalent even as he continued to address them.

_"I thought I'd send a little gift. A tiny video to let you all check up on the Decimo_ _."_

Silence.

Utter silence filled the room, as the guardians anticipated what would come next. It was nerve-wrecking, and they felt their stomachs churn with worry.

Then, the man stepped forward.

One step, then another.

And he brought his knife down on the lump, inducing in a bloodcurling scream as the little ball _screamed._

They flinched, before softly, _brokenly,_ someone spoke.

_"Leave t...them alone..."_

The figure shifted, sounding very much like a wounded animal as the man pulled his knife out, smirk widening.

And...

_No._

They thought, freezing instantly as the tension in the room increased ten folds.

_"Oh? Finally awake again—"_

Because they _recognized_ the person, injured and pale and so, so _broken—_

_"—De-ci-mo?"_

_Tsuna._

...except...

It _wasn't_ Tsuna.

The boy was unrecognizable. His hair, once fluffy and soft, was matted and coated in blood. Bruises coloured his pale skin a patchwork of purple, green and yellow and his wrists were rubbed raw from the restraints chaining him down.

Knife wounds covered his body, some shallow, while others cut deep into skin. Cigarette wounds seemed to scar whatever remaining untouched skin.

Even his clothes were not spared, and his white hoodie was torn, soaked red and black in blood and grim.

There was a puddle of sick beside him. And Tsuna was unmoving, save for his laboured breathing.

But even then, it was light and rapid, almost painful to look at as Tsuna seemed to wheeze with every breath he took.

He might as well be dead. The look in his eyes certainly was; dull and unseeing and looking far more asleep than awake.

Perhaps that was the worst part.

Tsuna looked _broken._

 ** _"Those bastards!"_** Reborn snarled, firing a shot at the wall as he let out a string of curses. The composure he had always prided on having was thrown out of the window, the very moment his eyes landed on his student, looking smaller and more fragile than he'd ever seen him looking.

God, it'd already been a _week_.

What had they done?

_What did they_ _**do** _ _to Tsuna?_

And— _"Had a good rest?"_ The man continued, smiling even as Tsuna coughed weakly, too tired to even form a verbal answer.

The sight of it was so pitiful it made them want to _kill_ the people who'd done this to him, who'd broken Tsuna into tiny, unfixable pieces.

They were ruthless.

 _He_ was ruthless, turning his gaze straight to the camera, as he _kicked,_ right into Tsuna's sides. Once, twice and thrice.

The force of it made Tsuna curl tighter and tighter into himself, in futile efforts of shielding himself, even as it reopened half-healed wounds.

 _"Why don't you say hi to your guardians, hm? Your precious 'friends'?"_ The man sneered at the last word, as though the idea of 'friends' was a foreign concept to him.

And...

Silence, once again.

"I'll _kill_ him!" Gokudera snarled when Tsuna failed to react. "That fuc—!"

" _Gokudera."_ Reborn warned, before—

_"My... friends..?"_

Everyone's breaths hitched. In an instant, all eyes returned to Tsuna.

Tsuna seemed to struggle with somthing internally, eyes shifting from the man to the camera, desperation colouring dull eyes.

 _"I- I'm okay."_ And god, everyone watched with mounting horror as tears began to roll down hollow cheeks. _"_ _I'm... I— I'm okay, really and I—"_

Tsuna took a shuddering breath, trying to quell the flow of tears, but to no avail.

 _"It hurts."_ He whispered, voice small and sounding completely vulnerable.

But not even Reborn could fault him for feeling so completely lost and disoriented.

 _"I'm here,"_ Tsuna pushed on, words coming out smaller and a more rapid speed. _"It's a building, I- I think... I'm in a warehous—"_

Before it all stopped, abruptly.

Tsuna stiffened, jaw snapping shut as his teeth clanked together almost painfully.

He took one shuddering breath. And then another. He seemed to brace himself.

And the man _reacted,_ slamming his fist into Tuna's face, making the boy fly straight into a concrete wall and cry out in pain.

 _"Oh? Did I say you could tell them where you're being held at, De-ci-mo?"_ He sneered, looming over Tsuna's crumpled form, looking more and more dangerous with each passing second.

And then he leaned in, pulling Tsuna by his collar, before whispering something right into his ear.

It was something they couldn't quite catch.

It happened in the blink of an eye. All the fight seemed to drain out of Tsuna, and he went completely _limp._

" _Sorry..."_ He whispered, looking almost like a baby bird with hollow bones, brittle in a way where every fracture would cause irrepairable damage. Tsuna looked _fragile._

There was a panicked desperation in his eyes, and his words came out slurred and completely _terrified._

_"I'm sorry..! I- I'll be good... Please don't leave m-me here... I'll be b-better, please..."_

_"Good, good. That's right, Decimo."_ The man smiled, looking very much pleased. Looking as though he'd struck _gold._

_"_ _You aren't a hero, Tsunayoshi."_

Something seemed to snap, both at once. Something within Tsuna, giving way like a building collapsing on him all at once.

As did something amidst the tense silence between the guardians. Between Tsuna's family.

Reborn's eyes were bright with vehement fury.

_'You aren't the hero type, are you? Don't try to act cool, Tsuna.'_

Those were _his_ words. This vile, disgusting, _vermin_ was twisting _his_ words, and Tsuna _knew—_

_"_ _You're Dame-Tsuna. Dumb, clumsy, bad at sports, useless. So why should your friends, popular and so much better than you, why would they want to take you back?"_

There was no response.

And if the look on Tsuna's face was bad before, the look he gave the camera now was absolutely _soul-crushing._

_"Maybe you're just a burden to them. Maybe you're selfish for wanting to go back to them."_

And Reborn began to curse, gripping Leon with a fury none of them had ever seen before.

Because Tsuna had not responded, had not denied the man's words. There was not a single sound.

And the smirk the man gave to the camera spoke of a victory. _'I win,'_ it seemed to say. Like he _knew_ he had discovered a weakness to Tsuna's already shattering self-worth.

_Oh, Tsuna..._

Because they _knew._

Mere words would not have had such a profound impact on Tsuna. But perhaps that was their fault in the first place; for never noticing that there was something beneath it all, something more fragile and far more vulnerable.

Because the Lucchiere had only been picking away at wounds that had _already_ been inflicted, way _before_ Tsuna had even been kidnapped.

And god, they had _noticed_ , hadn't they? So _why_ hadn't they done _anything_ to make sure that Tsuna _deserved_ them, that he was _more_ than enough?

_"I'm sorry..."_

He whispered a final time, never once lifting his gaze from the ground, even as the man smiled triumphantly.

 _"Well then,"_ he began, almost as though he were pondering, carefully considering his response to the boy.

 _"W_ _hy don't you just do them a favour?"_ He leaned in then, pressing Tsuna into the wall uncomfortably tightly.

_"End it. Why not leave, you coward? Maybe then your friends will finally be free. They wouldn't have to deal with you anymore that way."_

And—

The guardians' hearts broke.

Because Tsuna _chose_ to shift his gaze, looking into the camera lens, completely lost and confused. Fragile and vulnerable.

_"If I... die?"_

_"Of course."_

And the video was cut. 


	6. Chapter 6

  
Gentle moonlight streamed in through clouded windows, seeping into concrete floors and painting the ground a light silver.

He sat there, _watching,_ staring ahead at nothing at all. There was a dull throbbing in his head, clouding over him in a haze, almost numbingly so.

And the sound of iron clattering open almost does not register, but it does, and yet Tsuna could only shift tired eyes to stare at the figure entering his cell.

A step forward was all it took; for the miasma to seep into the room, poisoning whatever feelings of safety he had felt before.

_Lonely._

_Alone._

_Unwanted._

The apathy surging through his veins gave way to an abrupt, crushing _panic,_ and Tsuna could not help but let out a low keen, feeling so, so cornered yet so, so _helpless_. 

He couldn't _move._

And he knows why, staring right at the sick next to him. He watched as blood trailed down his limp hand, congealing to form a copper red puddle beneath him.

He was far too injured, far too _hungry._

And it was not just that.

_Useless._

_Weak._

_Coward._

He couldn't even feel the comforting presence of his flames anymore, those taunting voices in his head keeping him utterly paralysed, completely _defeated._

Now, he could only watch, helpless and with lidded eyes as _that person_ knelt before him, lips twisted in a smile.

And there was only silence.

All that had happened, in that very moment, was Ark staring into his own eyes. And that tension-filled minute had left him feeling it all; the conflicting emotions within him swirling into an uncontrollable vortex of negativity. Dazed. Confused. _Hurting._

And then, Ark had leaned forward.

Whispered out three familiar words.

"Do your worst, was it not?"

The words that left his ears ringing with a static white noise, leaving him _frozen,_ right down to his core, like a bucket of ice cold water had just been dumped over his head, cruelly and mercilessly.

_You failed._

_You lost._

_You did this to yourself._

His vision blurred, tears spilling over as he parted his lips in a soundless scream. And god, he was scared, _terrified_ of what was to come.

And all Tsuna could think of was his _family,_ the selfish part of him hoping and wishing and _looking_ for a miracle, that they were still out there _looking_ for _him._

It was self-centered thought, ignorant too, but it still soothed him, no matter how surface, how _plastic_ the thought was, even as Ark had taken hold of his arm, bruised and limp, plunging hot liquid _acid_ into his veins.

_Do your worst._

That cruel, filthy voice whispered out once again, and he allowed his eyes to slip close, for himself to shudder, dreams splintering and disjointing.

There was no one, in the end. No Vongola, no guardians, no Reborn. He was truly alone.

And Tsuna knew now; the worst had yet to come.

-

There was a mist that now poisoned his every thought and every memory that perhaps had once been untainted.

Demons peeked at him from every corner, critical of his every cry, every move. And yet, the demons that had cut the deepest, that haunted him the greatest, were not those with the sharpest of claws or even the most terrifying of sizes.

No, but rather it was in the way he saw _their_ gazes reflected upon his tiny, shaking, _pathetic_ self.

_"Useless-Tsuna, no wonder we left you here."_

_"Can't do anything right."_

_"Aren't you selfish for always wanting us to save you, when you have done nothing to help us in return?"_

Maybe he'd been abandoned, or maybe they'd just given up on him; he didn't know, and perhaps he never would. Maybe once upon a time he might had felt more than just apathy and _numb._

But it was his fault that he was stuck here anyway, he supposed, that in the end he'd been so _weak_ that nobody wanted him anyway.

Then if so, even if it was morbid, even if it was pathetic, he was glad that he was be able to slip away into the depths of unconsciousness, wholly assured that _no one would miss him._

Even if death constantly watched him every time he closed his eyes, even when knowing that next time, he just might not be lucky enough to _make it through._

But it didn't even matter if he was awake or asleep anymore; because if his dreams painted grotesque pictures of blood and betrayal, then his waking world was nothing more than blood and gleaming knives under moonlight and hot, searing, burning pain.

And the cold, hard truth was that his reality now blurred into nothing more than a simple, single nightmare; one that was inescapable no matter how far he ran, or how deep he traveled within the confines of his mind.

He was stuck, shattered beyond pieces within the concrete walls of this icy, prison; awaiting an inevitable fate of death and _isolation._

_(and maybe it's what he deserves.)_

_\---_

Gokudera Hayato had never once prided himself on his composure. Especially not when everything was at stake, when his boss — _friend_ — was suffering or hurt or possibly _dead—_

And so _sue him_ for losing his patience!

With a single slam of a fist into the wall, the plaster had given way. And in its place was a fist-shaped hole, one that left the countless men _crumpling_ to the ground as Gokudera curled his lips back, growling out a warning. "You _will_ tell me where the Tenth is at, or _else!_ "

"P-Please, Gokudera-sama, we- we really have no idea where the Boss is at!" The men could only squeak, practically _sobbing_ and _terrified_ as they begged, scent of ammonia filling the air.

"Stop _lying!"_ Gokudera snarled instead, hands explosives, about ready to blow up the place, and yet just as he was about to light up those deadly sticks, mahogany doors slam open.

"Oh?" A sudden chill seemed to settle over the room, the iciness of killing intent seeping in as a single man stood at the entrance. "How _daring_ of you to bully my men, Vongola _Tempesta._ " He sighed in mock disappointment, strolling into the room with an elegance that rivalled that of a feline's.

The man looked sorely out of place in the office-like room, with his floral shirt, sunglasses and grey cargo shorts, and yet Gokudera could only scowl as the man strolled past his own men, all of which who instantly keeled over in relief, and past Gokudera himself, whistling as he eventually sat at his desk with an almighty groan.

Gokudera wasted no more time, slamming down a pile of crisp hundred notes with rigour, practically hissing as he tossed over a manila folder.

"Give me all your infomation about the Lucchiere Famiglia."

The words ' _or else'_ did not go unheard.

"Oh?" The man only smirked, and slowly, painstakingly, lit up a single cigarette. He took a long drawl from it, humming neutrally. "You want information? That measly amount won't be able to pry my lips open, _Tempesta."_

The tension in the air strained further. _"Do not test my patience, Vice!"_ Gokudera could only snap, fists clenching as he slammed down yet another stack of notes. "Another thousand. Take it or _leave it."_

Yet if anything, Vice only seemed amused. "I don't think you have a choice. _Decimo_ is missing, after all, right?"

Gokudera stiffened. _"You—"_

And Vice let out a hearty guffaw. "Well, you've done your part! Well done coming to look for me, by the way. Just the right place for information."

His lips then curled into a smile too sinister to be sincere. "What would you like to know?"

The silveret hesitated slightly at the undertone of malice. _Can his words really be trusted?_

And yet—

_This is our best chance._

That tiny, tentative voice won out, leaving behind something akin to resolve settled in his gaze and he forced his words out.

"...Location of hideout, and anything that Vongola should take note of."

"Well, their headquarters are in _Italia—"_ Gokudera glared dirtily. Vice only smiled, raising his hands in mock surrender. _"But,_ I'm sure you already knew that. Can't tell you their exact location in Japan, but they're definitely in some warehouse nearby. Some grunt of Lucchiere got arrogant enough to tip off their master plan in _kidnapping Decimo."_

The words left something unpleasant curling in his gut, an almost feral feeling flickering in green eyes, and Gokudera clenched his fists so hard that it _ble_ _d._

His reaction did not go unnoticed, though, for Vice only widened his smirk, fingers drumming away on his mahogany desk as he pondered. _"I wonder how accurate that infomation is, though."_

Gokudera's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

The other only chuckled, and yet his eyes were completely devoid of humour. Perhaps even holding the slight traces of annoyance. "The Lucchiere Familgia _never_ willingly volunteer information. I'd take that into consideration if I were you, _Tempeste."_

Then, Vice leaned in, hastily scrawling down words on a piece of paper, before smiling easily and handing it over.

"They're loyal right down to the weakest links. Even the grunts."

Gokudera turned to leave.

"You'd do well to remember that."

_Or that will be your downfall._

It didn't take a genius to decipher Vice's unspoken words.

But still, Gokudera let the door slam shut behind him, eyes narrowing at the scrap of paper in his hands.

\---

_"Reborn-sama? Yes, I got it! There are five possible locations where Tenth might be held at."_

_"List them out."_

_"..."_

_"..."_

_"..."_

Reborn's eyes flashed, grip on his phone tightening.

_Wait for us, Tsuna._

_We're coming._

_"Let's go."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh!!! it's been awhile since i updated, haha XD writer's block is a pain sometimes :')
> 
> i really hope i'll be able to get the next chapter out soon, but it might honestly take awhile :v we'll have to see how it goes haha ^^;
> 
> thank you to those who are still following this book though, i really appreciate all the support i get from 'Taken'! you guys are honestly the best <3


	7. Chapter 7

  
_(In the end, nobody came.)_

\--

It was a trap.

Logically, they knew that.

The Lucchiere didn't just have any breaks in their defences, and the Vongola were not stupid.

There was a reason for the information leak, one that they did not have an answer for as to _why,_ but they knew that they couldn't afford to wait any longer.

Not when Tsuna's life was at stake.

And perhaps the Lucchiere knew that too.

But that fact alone does not discourage them, and they are fast in moving. Within a day, three locations had already been searched, each coming up empty and without their _sky._

And with each passing minute, the tension seemed to increase, leading to a strained silence and a rapidly deteriorating mood from everyone present.

The sun had long since set over the horizon, and dawn was steadily approaching. Still no Tsuna.

And disappointment seemed to weigh them down, their hearts heavy as their failures made themselves known by the continued absence of their sky.

Time seemed to stand still without _him,_ freezing their reality in dream-like cloud of haze, even when they hadn't slept for over 24 hours, and hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in even longer.

Yet here they were now, standing in front of a looming building with their hearts in their throats.

"Is this the next one?" Yamamoto asked eventually, features dark as he eyed the opening of an obscure and dilapitated warehouse—it was the fourth possible location on Vice's list.

Reborn nodded, just as Gokudera twitched, looking worse for wear as he chewed at an end of a cigarette in stress.

The others looked no better, and for a moment, there was simply a tentative silence; pensive as it lingered in the air.

None of them wanted to face the reality of yet another location crossed out, leaving them cornered in a dead end.

And yet, some selfish part of them feared the thought of what they _might_ find instead, if what lay beyond the opening had been what they'd been looking for in the first place.

Then, after another minute, someone spoke.

"I can't find any traces of flame users." Ryohei's voice was grim as he scanned the perimeter, something deadly glinting in his eyes. He flexed his fingers, seemingly itching for a fight.

"Should we just get it over with, then?" Yamamoto said next, as he looked over to the others for a clear decision.

Hesitation painted most of their faces, even Hibari and Mukuro, all while they remained tight-lipped and silent, exuding an intense aura that was fitting for their unofficial titles of 'Decimo's most volatile guardians.'

They waited, each and every one of them, even _Hibari,_ for all he preached about being a carnivore, searched for a response from the highest authority.

And Reborn only remained silent, considering something for a few seconds, before finally tipping his head in the direction of the warehouse.

"Let's go." He announced gravely, grip around his pistol tightening. "The more time we waste, the more time Tsuna stays with them."

The guardians nodded in affirmative. Then each with the stealth of a lion hunting for prey, a final, silent count of three had them bursting into the building, flames shooting out as they readied their weapons in the air.

_"WHERE'S JYUUDAIME, YOU COWARDS!"_

Only to be met with silence.

It was almost anti-climatic.

The warehouse was empty, devoid of any life, save for a few scuttling rats and pests. Boxes were strewn across the floors, each coated with a fine layer of dust. There were a few odd machineries here and there, but the place was otherwise barren.

The dullness of it all had their disappointment sky-rocketing, yet with each step they took into the warehouse, it felt like ice settling deeper and deeper in their guts. Almost like a bad feeling.

Then, they see a door.

Iron-bolted, ominous as it loomed before them with an aura of doom.

A rat scurried across their feet. Several of them flinched, regarding the door tersely, because they _recognised_ it.

"Reborn... could it be..?" Gokudera's voice wavered, hesitant as he placed a single hand on rusted iron.

Nothing about it seemed out of place, it was like any other door to a storage room, and yet there was something _off_ about it.

Something that made Gokudera choke at the onslaught of emotions he was suddenly feeling, and made the rest of them want to shudder at how inherrently _wrong_ it all felt.

And Reborn only scowled, eyes alit with a fury like no other. "Open it." His voice was soft, almost dangerous.

The others tensed in return, and Gokudera only bowed his head in respect.

They inched their ways towards the bolted door, all of them cautious, some more wary than others.

Yet none made a move to push open the door, fearing the sight that lay beyond the chill of the iron that seperated them from what was to come _._

Then eventually, Ryohei was the one who stepped forward, face settled into a determined frown, as the door creaked open with a steady push.

The first thing that hit them was the _smell._

It was like a bucket of ice dumped over their heads, an absolute horror washing over them with an unparalleled terror.

Instantly, they recoiled back, the pungent scent of blood and bodily fluids permeating the air as they gagged.

And their gazes lingered on the sick on concrete grounds, the splatters of copper red colouring the walls, the utter feeling of _doom_ and _hopelessness_ filling the putrid air.

It was a scene straight out of a horror movie.

And then—

A whimper.

They see _him._

Their faces turn ashen.

_"TSUNA!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shorter and more of a filler chapter, i know,, but i felt like this would be a good place to stop, because cliffhangers :D i love torturing yall, lmao
> 
> and yeet, this chapter came earlier than expected, because motivation suddenly decided to slap me in the face lol,, hope you guys enjoyed, and omce again, thank you for all the support! <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the start of Taken :) There are still some parts of this chapter I'm not quite proud of, but I figured that I might as well just post it first, haha...


End file.
